Just One Night
Dean growled in frustration as he batted away another pillow that had gone sailing at his head. He was beginning to wish that he had never volunteered for this job but he could take one for the team. After all it was his idea that they should take a vacation since they hadn't had that much alone time. Even he could understand the need for that and he thought it would be fun. After all it was just one night. He guessed wrong.
He gripped the bottle he had in his hand to prevent him from dropping it as he gave chase. "This isn't funny anymore," he said feeling annoyed.
There was a giggle and Dean's hunter's ears picked it up. He stopped in the room he had entered and looked around. He heard the giggle again and he grinned that grin when he knew that he had his prey cornered. He then sang in a sing song voice, "Huh. Not in here. I guess I better check the library."
Dean pretended to leave and quietly snuck around. It probably wasn't going to work since his target was clever for a four year old. He was surprised when it did when he came up from behind and swooped in and grabbed it, "Gotcha!" He then started on the dreaded tickle attack.
Giggles erupted before the coughing began. It encouraged more giggles and a voice saying, "No more. No more Unca Deanie."
Dean chuckled as the little girl grabbed a hold of his neck and began to cuddle him. He relented on the tickle attack since the cough wasn't sounding too good. He rubbed her back to ease the coughing reminded of how he used to do the same for another child. "Alright. The tickle monster can show mercy," he murmured. "Come on now Jess. Time to take your medicine."
Dean carried the child to a nearby chair marveling how he hadn't stabbed himself with the spoon while chasing after the little whirlwind. From under the chair emerged a little puppy carrying a toy. He grunted, "You're in trouble too you little Trickster."
"Gabe not a trickser," Jess countered. She sat on Dean's lap and looked at him with a pouting expression.
Dean knew he was in trouble. She had to inherit the look. He could resist. "Fine but you still have to take your medicine."
"No."
"Jess."
"Tastes like ass."
Dean knew that he should have scolded her for that. He had been careful in his word usage around her. She must have heard it from somewhere. Besides he knew that it didn't taste like that. He knew the person that made it. He argued back, aware that arguing with a four year old was downright embarrassing, "You know it doesn't. Your mom made it for you."
After a few more refusals, Dean managed to get her to swallow some of it even though he ended up with probably half the bottle on himself. That fiasco done, it was time to get the cantankerous brat to bed.
"I nots sleepy."
"You're going to bed."
It was another battle that took Dean using every trick in the book he knew about kids. Jess refused to go to bed still. Dean knew he had to pull out the big guns. "Alright. If you won't go to bed, then you have to just sit here and listen to me talk all night."
It didn't work out quite as planned. Dean's idea of reverse psychology backfired as he began talking about an angel who brought light into darkness. Jess just sat on his lap and listened. They were eventually joined by Gabe who jumped onto the couch they were sitting on and started licking the excess medicine off.
"Hey you mutt. Easy on the drooling," Dean paused to look down at the puppy. "I can't believe you're Zepp's pup." He rubbed his hand over the pup's head and watched the eyes do their thing as it growled in pleasure.
"Finish Unca Dean."
Dean knew he had Jess' attention and that she was getting drowsy. "Okay but where was I?"
"The angel was helping the knight close the gate so the big mean monster wouldn't get out." Jess leaned against Dean's chest and cuddled into the folds of his shirt.
Dean grinned at that. While it probably was not a good idea to tell her that story, it was working. Besides he changed it to have that fairy tale crap appeal to it. Little girls liked that stuff anyway and it wasn't like he was describing it down to the gory details. He continued his story aware that he was getting drowsy himself.
Dean was unaware of how much time had passed since he was fast asleep on the couch holding tight to a four year old who was buried into the folds of his flannel shirt and blanket he put over her. It was noticed though by the two people watching from the doorway they had come in at one in the morning.
"Long night I take it."
Angela looked at Sam as he pulled her into an embrace while they continued to watch the display on the couch. She chuckled in agreement. "He wanted to give us a night off."
Sam hummed a bit in laughter. His brother had no idea what he was getting into when he volunteered to take care of Jess for the night so that he and Angela could go out. It looked like Dean discovered certain things that night that would have reminded him of another kid he took care of. He rubbed the shoulder his hand was touching as he straightened out. He walked over to go pick up Jess when Angela said, "Leave them."
"You sure?"
"It's Dean," Angela replied as she took the blanket and spread it over the both of them. She watched as Sam gave his brother a gentle pat on the shoulder and kiss their daughter gently on the head.
"Upstairs?" Sam looked at Angela.
"I'll be up in a minute."
Sam nodded and left after signaling to the dogs and like clockwork, they went to their places. Even little Gabe took his place on the couch next to the sleeping pair. Call it paranoia but hey it was his family he was protecting. Besides they weren't just any dogs but a special breed. He glanced back in the room and smiled before heading up the stairs.
Angela smoothed out Jess' locks and kissed her whispering, "Good night my little bambina." With Dean she gently caressed his hair and smiled. He always was there and always would be. She gave him a kiss on his forehead and whispered, "Sleep well my little bulldog," and left the pair to sleep.
Dean slowly smiled in his sleep. He felt content and probably the first in a long time. Just one night…
A/N: Aww Dean is an uncle how cute!
